(Efy) She wore that dress like it was a Saturday...

Pretty as a Summer rose, ❁❧
Picked in the morning.

Last Saturday was Efy. I can remember last year's Efy so clearly but it definitely had felt like a year had gone by. The talks were so good! I felt like they had saiad what they said just for me-and that always feels nice, right? Our speakers were Brother Sua and Brother Hank Smith. They both are Seminary teachers in Utah.

Brother Sua's talk was about "Happiness", which is something I have always struggled with in my life. Surprising? If you really knew me, it wouldn't be so surprising. I want to be happy, but sometimes it's hard to find within myself. It's difficult to admit such a thing, because who really can't find Happiness. Isn't it supposed to be a natural thing? I don't want to have to work for Happiness, I want it to come to me. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?
He started with, "what's the purpose of life?" Joseph Smith answered that in the Joseph Smith History when he said that the purpose of life is "Happiness". I learned that only I can make myself happy, by keeping the commandments.

{D&C Sec.30 vs. 1&2 "Happiness}

Ask yourself this question:
Do I think more about worldy things than the Lord? I know that everyone can do something to better your relationship w/ the Lord concerning this question.

I can decide to change.
I can start and stop doing: _______?
{1 Nephi Ch.4 "I will go and do."}

Brother Sua said how he knew how many trials teenagers go through in our lives, especially now in this day and age. He reminded us that like Martial Arts, Satan wants to keep us down, unlike Boxing, he will never give us a chance to get back up again. He will never say, "Oh Amber, you're testimony is down? It's okay get back up!"
This brings me to the next topic of his talk, which was never giving up.
One thing that really hit home was when he said that we should never give up on somebody that we love. I thought about a couple family members, but one in particular. My mom.

I will never give up on you mom.
I know your worth and I wish that you would see it as much as I do.
You are the most caring person I know,
and you have the biggest heart.
Even though you have made mistakes,
you can always repent and become the person that you are meant to be.
Excluding the trials we've gone through because of our own stupid decisions,
We go through the trials that we do to become the individual our Heavenly Father wants us to be.
And according to President Monson, you are worth the blood of a God.

Giving up on the person you love could also mean not giving up on yourself, for if you don't keep the commandments, the people you love will get hurt.
{remove mine cup from thee. not my will but thine be done}
I need to get through these trials to become the person I need to be.
I won't give up!
I will be a missionary through my actions. I want to be the best example I can be.
{D&C 101}
brother and sisters ♥

If you are ever going through a spiritual slump, go through these four actions to regain the strength in your testimony:

1. Show Gratitude
2. Ask q's of examination concerning this slump
3. Set goals, [no more will I do this ____!]
4. Pray ♥
{2 Nephi Ch.4}

Our second speaker was Brother Hank Smith. After Brother Sua talked, it was hard to think that anyone could top him off, but goshdangit! I loved Brother Smith, I would search him in Utah just to hear him talk again! Haha.
He started off by saying, "Look at you! You're the cutest!" HAHA :D

awesomesauce.

The "title" of his talk was, "Breaking up with the World". He gave us break up lines to use if we have a boyfriend or girlfriend. My favorites were:

"There is only room for two men in my life...
(Dad & God? Nope.)

Ben & Jerry ♥

Or even better, for the youth who have the touchy feely boyfriends or girlfriends:

"Touch me not or God will slay you!"
{Abinadi}

He also gave us a tip on how we can go about "breaking up with the world".

"Earth. We are through. I'm tired of you holding me down!
(Gravity... get it! ツ)

He showed us some incredible quotes from Elder Holland:

Compare, Compete, and never feeling like we are "enough".
{Ensign Nov.06}

Brother Smith joked about how young ladies "paint" our faces these days.

{Gordan B. Hinkley}
I just want to say I am an awesome painter!

"One would truly need a great and spacious makeup kit to compete with beauty portrayed in media all around us.
-Elder Holland

"...[I] will never be glamorous enough."
-Elder Holland

We need to escape it!
{Alma 24:17-19}
A goal we all were asked to make, was to break up with something worldly.

A great story he told was about a bishop he once knew. He told how one day he went into the Bishop's office and saw one of the ugliest blankets he had ever seen! He described it having all different colors and materials. The Bishop noticed Brother Smith's looks and he took him over to the blanket and Brother Smith noticed a small handwritten note. The Bishop told him that the quilt was from his Young Women, and Brother Smith thought, "Oh gee, talented young women... heh." The Bishop went on to read the note.

"Dear Bishop,
We decided to cut up all of our immodest clothes to make a couple quilts!
Finally they will be able to make somebody warm."

He told another great story about a girl that was in his seminary class for all 3 years of high school named Courtney. He said how she was a worldly girl and was very rich, so she had everything a girl could ever want! As far as material things cover. He told us how he tried his best during those three years to get through to her, but nothing seemed to work! After she had graduated, he told us, she came into his classroom for a visit. Courtney told Brother Smith that she was going on a mission trip to Africa, because her dad said it would look good on her resume as "Humanitarian Aid". She said her goodbyes, leaving Brother Smith with nothing but worried thoughts. He just wanted the best for her, and he knew that Africa would be a huge change of lifestyle for Courtney. 3 months later, Brother Smith was in his classroom one day when a young lady walked in. Brother smith did not recognize this girl; she had on cutoff shorts, a loose t-shirt, no makeup, and a messy ponytail. She walked in and gave him a wooden elephant. That's when Brother Smith realized it was Courtney. He was so shocked! She told him how much her testimony grew and it was a true testimony growing experience for myself. She was perfect, worldly, and TIRED of everything. Charity helped her feel alive. I want that.

"The time slipped away, the way that it will"

♥Flying out with The Birds and the Bows♥
Day something [of 365]